Basket-ball-basket suspension



May 6, 1930.

w. WALLACE BASKET BALL BASKET SUSPENSION Filed Feb. 2'7, 1929 2 SheetsSheet May 6, 1930. w. WALLACE 1,757,350

BASKET BALL BASKET SUSPENSION Filed Feb. 27. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Whine a, I

Patented May 6, 1930 PATENT orrica "WILLIAM WALLACE, OIE LA FAYETTE, INDIANA BASKET-'BALL-IBABKET SUSPENSION Application filed. February 27, 1929.

This invention relates generally to the artof basket-ball games and particularly to means for suspending a basket and bank board from a ceiling support to avoid oh- 6 structions under and around the basket toward the floor.

The primary object of this invention is to supply a basket and bank support which may be suspended fromceiling or roof frame work without supporting posts from the floor, and that may be raisedand lowered without the means of moving parts, sliding one over the other and that will possess the necessary rigidity in actual use.

A further object resides in the provislon and means for adjustably positioning the basket and bank board horizontally in reference to the supported members.

Other objectswill become apparent in the following description of the invention as shown in the accompanying drawings, in which,-

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a supporting structure embodying my invention;

Fig. 2, a front elevation;

Fig. 3, a horizontal sect'on on the line 3-3 in Fig; 1;

Fig. 4, a modified form of the structure in sideelevation;

Fig. 5, a front elevation of the modified form; and

Fig. 6, a O-6 in Fig. 1. 1

Like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views in the drawings.

In the gymnasiums where basket-ball 1s commonly played, there is usually a considerable amount of overhead exposed frame work.

I provide two spaced apart beams 10 and 11 and attach themin horizontally disposed positions to such framework (not shown). 'At one end of these beams 10 and 11 I lungedly support therebetween acdepending brace which is built up, comprising the two side members 12 and 13 which are preferably tubular with intervening bars 1 1, 15 and the diagonally disposed struts 16 and 17 whereby the horiz0ntalsection of the line Serial No. 343,216.

side members 12 and 13 are rigidly held in the same plane in fixed parallel relation one to the other. i

The upper ends of the members 12 and 13 are bored through to receive the hinge bar 18 slidingly therethrough, the bar being carried in a fixed position bythe two beams 10 and 11. The members 12 and 13 are spaced apart to have their ends carried on the hinge bar 18 substantially in contact with the inner faces of the beams 10 and 11 so that the members 12 and 13 are substantially held by the beams so as to prevent longitudinal movement along the hinge pin 18.

Now at the lower ends of the members 12 and 13 is carried a transverse rod 19 there between-having its ends projecting respec tively from each of the outer sides of the members 12 and 13. Vertically disposed angles 20 and 21 are carried respectively onthe outer projecting ends of this rod 19, the rodpassing through the angles at approximately their mid-section vertically. From the top ends of the angles 20 and 21 extend supporting cables 22 and 2.3 upwardly to be secured to the respective beams 10 and 11., the cables 22 and 23 each having a fixed common length.

Near the top end of each of the angles 20 and 21 is pivoted one of the brace bars 21 and respectively to extend rearwardly therefrom and along the outer sides of the members 12 and 13 respectively to be secured thereto by the bolts 26, the braces having a plurality of holes 27 therethrough so that the angles 20 and 21 may be suitably rocked about the rod 19 to bring them to a vertical position and held in that position by passing the bolts 26 through the proper holes in the braces.

The back stop 28 is here shown as being formed of glass with a narrow lower section 29 formed of wood to which the basket 30 is attached. The two pieces 28 and 29 are secured against the front faces of the angles 20 and 21 by means of the angle frame .31 from the sides of which are the attaching plates 32 projecting rearwardly along the sides of the angles 20 and 21 and there secured by the bolts 33.

It will be noted that from the foregoing description and reference to the drawings, pertaining to Figs. 1, 2, 3, that a substantial supporting structure is produced with a minimum number of parts, and one that is very rigid and that will not have a tendency to move when a basketball is thrown against the back stop 28.

l/Vhenthegymnasium is not. being used asa playing floor for basketball, but is des red for use for indoor baseball and the like, it is important that the basket bank and its-supporting structure be removed, and to accomplish this I provide a hoist 84 having a lift cable secured to the center part of the bar 15 and an operating cable or chain 86 which may normally be carried to hang behind the stop 28;

The hoist 34 is not here shown in detail since its exact constructiondoes not enter into my. invention, and is well knownto those versed in the art. By means of the cable 36 the hoist may be operated to pull the entire structure. upwardly toward the beams 10 and 11:. 1

Referring now to Figs. 45, 5, and (5 the basket-ball bank boardmay at times under certain conditions be required. to be moved horizontally from the ends of the side mem here 12 and 18, and to accomplish this result instead of carrying, the angles 20 and 21 on the ends of the rod 19- I hingedly attach. the extension. bars 87 and 38 to the rodv 19 within thelower ends of the members 12 and. 13 and pass a rod.39. therethro-ugh the'outer ends ofthe bars37 and 38, Fig. 6, and allow the rod.

39 to project beyond the outer sides of the bars 37' and 38. to'hingedly carry the. angles 7 20 and 21 thereomand drop the back ends of:

the braces 24 and 25 down along the sides of the bars and 38' and there secure thenr so as to hold the angles rigidly in vertically disposed positions. The, fixed cables 40 and 41- are secured to the beamslO andll so thatthey depend therefrom to and are secured to; the angles 20 and 21 in substantially vertical aligned positions. The back board 28 may be quickly returned to the position as shown in Figs. 1, 2', and 3' by removing the rod 39,- rocking the bars 37 and 38 back upwardly to restover the bar 15 out of the way whereupon the angles 20 and 21 may be engaged as before by the rod 19 and the cables 22 and 23 I are again attached thereto. 7

The: lower ends of the cables 22 and 23 are swung back to be engaged in the outer ends of an angle bar 15 passed under the sldg more or less minute detail, it is obvious that structural changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and I therefore do not desire to be limited to the precise form here shown and described, nor any more than may be required by the following claims.

I claim: v V i 1. In a basket-ball basket suspension, overhead beams, a. brace hingedly supported to swing downwardly from said beams, a bank board hinged to the lower end of said brace, and spaced'a'part' flexible cables of a fixed length supporting the lower end of the brace and limiting the downward swing of said brace. v

2. In a basket-ball basket suspension, overhead beams, a brace hingedlysupported toswing; downwardly. from said beams, said brace having a horizontal bar at is lower ends, a bank-board pivoted on the horizontal. bar on the lower end of said. brace, and spaced apart flexible cables of a fixed length supporting the lower end of the brace and limiting the downward. swing of said brace, said. board being adj ustabl'ypositioned about said horizontal bar,and the lower ends of said cables being attached to the top of. said board.

3. In a basket-ball basket suspension, over-- head beams, a brace: hingedly supported to swing downwardly fromsaid beams, abankboard hinged to the lower end. of said. brace, and spaced apart flexible cables of a fixed length supporting the lower end of the brace and limiting the downward swing of said brace, and means for swinging said brace upwardly.

4:. In a basket-ball basket suspension, a bank board, a brace having, two spaced apart members of appreciable length, said. board being pivotally attached to and across the lower end of said members, means for securing said board in various positions about the ends of said members, overheadbeams, means pivotally securing said members by their upper ends in spaced apart relation to said beams, and spaced apart cables of fixed length secured between said beams and said board limiting downward movement of said members.

5. In a basket-ball basket suspension, a bankboard, a brace havingtwo spaced. apart members of. appreciable length, overhead beams, means pivotally securing said members by their upper ends in spaced apart relation to said beams, spaced apart cables of fixed lengthv secured between said beams and said board limitingjdownward movement of said members, and barspivotally secured to t-he'lowerends ofsa-id' members to which saidboar'dis adj ustably secured.

6. In a basket-ball basket suspension, a bank. board, overhead beams, spaced apart cables suspended from said beams'and secured to and supporting said board, a bar secured to In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

WILLIAM WALLACE. 

